As concerns loom, experts say there is a very slim chance the COVID-19 virus detected on the surfaces of frozen or imported products can infect people.

China has recently detected the coronavirus on the surfaces of frozen and imported food packages and even fruits in multiple cases, which has raised public concern about whether the virus could be contracted when food transported in contaminated packaging is consumed.

The virus has been found on the surface of imported frozen salmon, imported cherries and even on popsicle packaging.

"The coronavirus transmits via respiratory droplets between human close contacts, rather than infects people through the digestive system," Li Ning, deputy chief of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, said during a press briefing on Sunday.

According to Li, the test that detects the virus on the goods detects coronavirus fragments. It will show positive results whether the virus is alive or not. The positive results only suggest that the food is contaminated. They do not indicate whether it is contagious to humans.

"So far, there have been no reported cases of consumers contracting the  novel coronavirus from purchasing or having contaminated food," said Li.

He added that the positive rate of the virus on imported food packages is extremely low, as the virus is unable to reproduce on the surface.

Currently, those who were infected by cold-chain products or food are all cold chain workers or logistics staff rather than the customers who purchased the products.

"The chance that consumers will get infected by the virus on the surface of products is close to none," said Li.

According to Li, China has been enhancing safety measures, with disinfection and nucleic acid tests on all imported goods, especially when it comes to food. The country is also monitoring the source of the imported goods.

"With such measures, a live virus on the products will be rare. We take immediate action on the problematic products once we detect it," said Li.

Zhang Wenhong, director of the Infectious Diseases Department at Fudan-Huashan Hospital in Shanghai, agreed that people shouldn't worry about contaminated products. He became well known by the public during the battle against the COVID-19.

"The chance of getting the coronavirus from buying imported products is lower than an air crash," Zhang said.